The present invention relates to a self-service terminal, such as an automated teller machine (ATM), including a display for guiding a user through a transaction.
Self-service terminals are generally public-access devices that are designed to allow a user to conduct a transaction or to access information in an unassisted manner and/or in an unattended environment. SSTs typically include some form of tamper resistance, in both hardware and software. SSTs include: ATMs; non-cash kiosks that allow users to access information (for example, to view reward points on a reward card the user has inserted into the SST); and kiosks that accept payment for services (for example, Web surfing kiosks, photo printing kiosks, kiosks that allow users to buy goods, and such like). The term SST has a relatively broad meaning and includes vending machines.
An ATM is one type of SST, and typically includes a display that presents a series of screens to a user to help the user execute a transaction at the ATM. With the decreasing cost of displays, and the increased amount of information to be presented to users, there has been a recent trend towards incorporating bigger displays in ATMs. Previously, 10 inch displays were conventionally used in ATMs; whereas, it is becoming common to include 15 inch displays on ATMs.
One problem associated with using bigger displays is that a user may perceive that the transaction is not private because passers-by or people queuing to use the ATM may be able to see the display during a transaction.
To address this problem, ATMs conventionally use a privacy filter comprising a series of thin, spaced, vertical slats encapsulated within a transparent glass frame and mounted in front of the display. This privacy filter restricts the viewing angle to a direction generally normal to the surface of the filter. As a result, someone standing directly in front of the ATM can view the ATM display, but someone standing to one side of the ATM cannot view the display. However, the privacy filter does not prevent someone standing behind an ATM user from looking over the ATM user's shoulder to see the display.